darkest before the dawn
by abbyli
Summary: Bitten again but this time, Klaus can't cure her...


**STOP RIGHT THERE! **

**Before you read this, I strongly recommend that you pull up Florence and the Machine's new amazing song "Shake It Out" and listen to it while you read. It can be either version, Florence's or Katharine McPhee's. **

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><p>He laid in the bed, his love in his arms as he thought about all of it. Their past, their present... and their future.<p>

What there was left of it.

The werewolf bite was nasty. For some reason, his blood didn't work this time. The bite festered and blistered over, oozing amounts of pus and fluid onto her thin cotton shirt. They try to cover it with a bandage but they are constantly changing it.

All he wants to do is soothe her pain but he can't. Extreme bouts of it hit her every twenty minutes and she is coughing and sobbing in his arms. All he can do is pull her tighter into his arms and whisper reassuring words to her.

"I'm tired," she breathes, a cough catching in her throat.

"I know," he murmurs back. "Just sleep." His hand gently brushes over her hair as his other hand slides around her thin waist and takes her other hand that is resting on her belly.

Her cornflower eyes slowly shut. His arms tightened around her, pulling her as close as he could.

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><p>"<em>Are you going to kill me?" <em>

"_On your birthday? Do you really think that low of me?" _

"_Yes." _

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><p>Friends and loved ones were in and out of the room all night. Her mother was in the most and Klaus respected the fact. She was her mother and had a right to be there.<p>

"Thank you."

"What?" Klaus looked at the elder Forbes woman with gentle surprise.

"Thank you for being the man that Caroline deserved. No matter how short of a time it was," said Liz.

She leaned down and kissed Caroline's forehead. Caroline didn't move at her mother's touch but they both knew that she felt her there. Then she pulled herself back up, obviously fighting tears. She looked over at the man that her daughter had been planning on spending eternity with and cast him a gentle smile.

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><p>"<em>You dance divinely."<em>

"_Well, I've had training. I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls." _

"_I know." _

_Her pretty eyes lifted to meet his, shock written all over her lovely face. _

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><p>Her face was surpassing ashen and heading straight to blue. They were constantly giving her blood but every single drop that she took, it would be heaved right back up. They finally gave up. All that could be done was Bonnie casting an easing spell to take away some of Caroline's pain.<p>

It works finally and she relaxes slightly, sinking into a pitiful sleep. He keeps her secured in his arms.

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><p>"<em>What did you do? What did you do?" Within his rage, he grabs her arms. <em>

"_Nothing, nothing. Let go of me!"_

_His hands release her and go to his chest. He sinks backwards onto his heels as his hands clutch his chest, feeling more pain than the feeling of one of his siblings being staked._

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><p>The goodbyes grew longer. Everyone seemed to know that Caroline only had hours left and would continue to come into the room and sit with her. It was only when Elijah and Finn had physically dragged him from the room when he left Caroline's side.<p>

"I can't leave her!" he snarled, pulling out of his brothers' grasps.

"Niklaus, you need to let her and her friends say goodbye," said Elijah, trying to be gentle.

"Easy for you to say," snapped Klaus. "The person that you love is still alive and well, even though she doesn't love you. You'll save her life over and over again but you will still have to live without her for eternity."

Elijah flinched at his brother's words, unable to deny that it was true.

"Don't be absurd," said Finn. "Bringing Elena up and the potshots at Tatia are ridiculous. All that matters is right now, Klaus. Now just back off and let Caroline be with Elena and Bonnie."

"Would you feel the same way if it Abby? Oh, I forgot, you did feel it," said Klaus, feeling more immensely cruel than he had felt in an extremely long time.

Finn didn't bat an eye. Abby had been staked the year before by a hunter, still unable to understand how to survive as a vampire. Their romance had ended before it had even begun. But Klaus knew how much her death had hurt Finn, still using that against him right then.

"Now's not the time, Niklaus. Now's not the time," breathed Finn.

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><p><em>She hated herself for caring. <em>

_But when Elijah returned, she knew that he would help her save his brother's life. _

"_What are you talking about?" the elder Original barked at her, alarm and panic in his eyes. _

"_They are going to try to kill him again with the white oak stake. It's the last resort and it's the most dangerous," explained Caroline. _

"_What are they going to do? Caroline, tell me!" _

_The man's dark eyes grew wider and wider as she told him the stakes of the operation. She could Elijah's adam's apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed continuously, a habit that he had when he was nervous. She had been around Elena enough to know that she had noticed these things and of course, would relay them to her._

_Of course, the next three hours flew by. Caroline found herself back at the Mikaelsen mansion where Klaus was recovering from his injuries. After being locked up for several days without blood, the others knew he would be emaciated and weakened. Then they could strike. _

_Luckily, Elijah had gotten there in time and pulled Klaus out. He lay on the sofa now, recovering and also nursing a blood bag. _

"_Cheers, love," said Klaus, holding up the blood bag in toast to her. _

_Caroline rolled her eyes. "I only did it because I owed you," she snapped. _

_Klaus's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I beg your pardon?" _

"_You don't know?" _

"_Know what?" _

"_Damn it." _

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><p>"Hey...you're back."<p>

"I always come back. I'm kind of like a bad penny that always turns up," he whispered, lowering himself down onto the bed again.

"You should be nicer to your brothers," she whispered.

He felt confusion for a second before he realized what she meant. "Oh. You heard that."

"I hear everything, Nik. I am the 'see-all, know-all' vampire wife," she whispered, a weak smile on her pink lips.

He chuckled. "You're right."

"Don't get me wrong," she breathed, "I feel bad for the two of them. Abby was...what happened was horrible. And Elena's just too wrapped up in Stefan and Damon to realize that there's someone better for her. But hopefully she will soon."

Klaus gave her a smile that didn't reach his eyes. He ran his fingertips over her forehead, gently stroking the hair out of her eyes. Her eyelids slid over her eyes at his cool touch, sighing at the comfort.

"I love you," she whispered.

Klaus leaned his head closer to her, his lips a breath away from her ear.

"And I love you."

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><p>"<em>Thank you." <em>

"_For what?" _

"_You know." _

"_What are we, twelve?" _

"_Fine. Thank you, Miss Caroline Forbes, for saving my pathetic, no good life. I owe you big time." _

"_You don't owe me anything except the fact of keeping yourself alive," said the beautiful girl before she swept out of the room. _

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><p>"Klaus?"<p>

"Hmm?"

"I want you to do something for me."

"And what's that?"

"Keep living."

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><p>"<em>Look, this is stupid. I never should have come." <em>

"_No, no, Caroline! Wait a minute!" He gently grabs her arm, stopping her from blurring away in a bolt. "What is it? What did you want to tell me?" _

"_Well, actually, it wasn't anything I wanted to _tell _you," she hastily explained. A scarlet flush spread over her cheeks and she pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Here." She pushes a small box into his hand. _

_Klaus stares at the box for a second before looking back at her. "What's this?" _

"_It's a puppy. What does it look like?" _

_He couldn't help but smile before he carefully popped the lid on the box. Inside, he found a gold chain with a small Saint Christopher medal nestled on soft velvet. _

"_Car..." _

"_It's been a year and I still have that bracelet. Well, I..." her voice trailed off as her face flashed crimson again, embarrassment evident in her features. "I just thought-" _

"_Caroline," Klaus's voice stopped her babbling. "It's beautiful. Thank you." _

"_You're welcome," she breathed. _

_He blinks and she's gone. He carefully pulls the St. Christopher medal out of the box, letting the small case fall to the ground. He slowly pulls the chain over his head and places the medallion against his still heart. _

_He never took the medal off. _

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><p>"You want to know something?"<p>

"What's that?" asked Elena, glancing up into Elijah's gentle features.

"I love you," he said quietly.

Elena stepped back for a second. But surprise nor shock were in her face. She simply nodded.

"I know."

"Niklaus threw it all done for me outside. He told me that I would always be constantly saving your life but I would never have you," he said. "And I can see that. I never will have you. But I love you."

Once those words left Elijah's mouth, he prepared to take off in a blur. But for once, Elena was too quick for him and she grabbed his arm before he could escape.

"This horror has got me to do some thinking too," Elena agreed, her voice soft. "Give me a second."

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><p>"<em>Vienna." <em>

"_Sorry?" _

"_You keep offering to take me places. How about Vienna?" _

"_You're not joking." _

"_Of course not. I want to see all of those places. I want to visit the State Opera House, I want to learn the Viennese waltz, go to the Palace, everything!" _

_She was bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet in excitement. A smile broke across his face at the sight of her and he rose out of his chair. _

"_Where ever you would like to go, milady." _

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><p>"Remember Vienna?"<p>

She breathed out, a weak chuckle at the memories that were flooding back.

"Ah, yes. The first place we ever went together," she murmured.

"I like to call it the beginning of a magnificent journey," he whispered into her hair.

"Boy, you sound lame."

He laughed one of her favorite laughs, deep in the belly, almost like a bear's gentle growl. "You're right. I do."

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><p>"<em>I don't wanna leave!" <em>

"_You haven't stopped saying that for the past three hours." _

"_I don't wanna leave!" _

"_Shut up!" _

"_I don't wanna leave!" _

"_Caroline!" _

"_I don't wanna leave! Please don't make me!" _

"_The only way you're going to be able to stay here in Vienna is if you live me with me in my château." _

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><p>"That was an eventual year. You had to drag me out of there when it was time."<p>

"That was fun. I thought I was going to have to stick you in a potato sack and throw you over my shoulder," he chuckled, recalling that memory.

"Even though you've taken me everything, Vienna was always my favorite," she murmured, gently resting her head against his chest.

The pain was starting to come back. Bonnie's spell had finally worn off and the end was getting closer. He could feel her weakening in his arms and it only made him want to hold onto her tighter.

"Do you remember what I asked you? Our last night there?" he asked.

"Well, duh," she mumbled, holding up her left hand.

Two rings sparkled there. The first one was a triple cross band golden ring with one large sapphire in the center. The second was a single golden band with tiny flowers etched all over it.

Klaus glanced over at his own ring. It was a single silver band with their wedding date engraved on the inside. The day that Caroline had slipped that ring onto his finger had been the happiest day of his existence.

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><p>"<em>Do you, Niklaus Mikaelsen, take thee Caroline Forbes, to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love and to comfort from this day forward, in sickness and in health, good times and bad, within all challenges you may face, from this day forward?" <em>

"_I do." _

"_And do you, Caroline Forbes, take thee Niklaus Mikaelsen, to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love and too-"_

"_I do!" _

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><p>"Hey, baby."<p>

The older Original slowly lowered himself down onto the porch, glancing up at the stars.

"I can't believe it's been almost a year already," whispered Finn, his eyes on his favorite star. The one that he had picked for her. "It just doesn't seem possible. Look at me, I've lived for 1100 years and one little year without you seems so endless."

He took a deep breath, trying to hold himself together. Ever since Abby's death, it had been hard for him to really keep it going. She had died for him and that pissed him off to the great eternity. What made him even angrier was that she had died for nothing, absolutely nothing.

"Caroline's almost ready to come up there and be with you and her family. Take care of her, all right? Because she's going to need Heaven's best angel to help her adjust."

Watching Caroline slowly die was one of the most difficult things that Finn ever had to go through. He already missed his friend dearly without her even being gone yet. But watching her die and watching Klaus having to go through that...it made his still heart break even more.

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><p>"What do you think it could have been like?" she asked him.<p>

"What do you mean?" asked Klaus, glancing down at his wife.

"If we were human," she murmured, taking him by surprise again. "I've always wondered what it could have been like."

"Hmph..." Klaus furrowed his brow in thought. "Well, you would definitely be a world known stylist," he muttered, a sly grin bringing the corner of his lips up.

"If I wasn't so exhausted I'd hit you," she chuckled, wincing as a fresh wave of pain began to wash over her.

He held her as she rode the wave out, biting her lips so hard that she drew blood. He kissed the beads of blood away and regained his hold on her ever weakening frame.

"You all right?"

"What a stupid question," she muttered, her eyes starting to fall closed. "You're here. Of course I am."

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><p><em>She stood on a familiar looking hill. <em>

_Brushing her wild blond locks out of her eyes, she looked around. Off to her left on a small hill stood a cottage, white with brown shutters. It inhabited a very lived in, much loved look to it. To her right, down in the valley was a large pond, holding a long dock up. She could see people gathered around it, people that she recognized. People that she loved. _

"_What do you think?" came a voice from behind her. _

"_What do I think about what?" she asked, honestly confused. _

"_Humanity," said Klaus as he held his hands out. _

_Caroline turned her head to stare at her surroundings again. "Am I dreaming?" _

_He shrugged slightly. "Maybe." _

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><p>Her breath was getting more ragged. She couldn't talk anymore, it having gotten too difficult and too painful.<p>

Klaus laid his head back on the pillows, carefully keeping her head in his lap. He twined his left hand through hers, their wedding rings melding together in the low light. The sapphire on her wedding ring reminded him of her eyes.

Her eyes were never going to open again.

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><p>"<em>Thank you." <em>

"_Don't say that." _

"_And why not? You've given me everything."_

"_No, love. _You _have given _me _everything," whispered Klaus. His arms tightened around her as she leaned into his chest, her eyes still on their loved ones down by the water. _

"_Momma! Daddy!" _

_A little girl broke away from the group, dashing up the hill towards them. Caroline's eyes widened when she saw the small girl better. She had long blond hair that fell in waves down her back, a tiny frame, an oval face...and dark blue eyes. _

_Nik's eyes. _

"_Hey, Vienna," Nik murmured as the girl reached them. _

"_Vienna?" Caroline choked out, staring at her husband. _

"_Momma, are you crying?" asked Vienna as she watched her mother intently. _

"_No, baby," sobbed Caroline as she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. She stared into the little one's face, seeing so much of herself and Nik in her. "Momma's just so happy."_

"_I'm happy too," said Vienna as she wrapped her miniscule arms around her neck. _

_Over Vienna's shoulder, Caroline caught Nik's loving glance. She shook her head in amazement. _

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><p>His lips were a breath's away from her ear. "It's okay. You can let go."<p>

He could feel her take one last shaky breath. It rattled through her frail body, so ghost-like and uneven. She exhaled for the last time.

Nik Mikaelsen stared at her body for a split second. He took in a breath, finally allowing the tears to come crashing down. And for once, it actually felt good to cry.

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><p>She watched him from above as he carried out her last request.<p>

He lived.

She sighed in relief when he got it together for good. He left that tiny little town and returned to the one place that they called their own for the seven years that they had had together.

Vienna.

He came back to that tiny château, a place where so many happy memories could comfort him. Over the years, people visited him. His brothers and sister would come and stay with him for periods of time, Elijah always staying the longest. Others would pop by too, ones that had loved her and would visit him just out of respect for her.

She watched as he remained the same age as he had been the first day that they had met. She watched as her other loved ones began to age. One by one, they all lived their lives and peacefully passed away with the ones that they loved and those who loved them.

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><p>He was the last one to go after everyone. He had watched his brothers and sister all finally give in and die, allowing their bodies to rest for the first time in thousands of years. He watched friends find love with one another and then pass on to the other side.<p>

Niklaus Mikaelsen doubted with his whole heart that he would see the other side. He was sure that he would be casted into purgatory with the rest of the monsters that had died before him. He did hope that his siblings had made it into a better afterlife, though. They deserved so much better.

The end did come after fifty years of lonliness.

A white oak dagger to the heart made it all end.

Forever.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes to the other side were lots of people. Familiar faces, all looking at him with happiness and blessing.

Then he saw her.

She looked just the way he remembered her. Just the way she had been the day he had fallen in love with her.

"Hey, Nik. It's about time," she whispered. She held out a delicate hand and he took it, twining their fingers together. "I told you that forever can continue on," she added, waving her arms around.

He looked to see what she meant and almost gasped. They were on that hill, with the cottage and the pond...

"How did you know?" he asked her, his eyebrow cocked.

"I was married to you for five years. I think that counts for something," she whispered, leaning her face close to his.

He chuckled aloud, pulling her against him. "You have no idea how much I have missed you, love."

"Stupid, I was always there."

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><p><strong>Okay this extremely <strong>_**looonnnggg **_**story was so full of fluff and angst that I want to vomit rainbows right now. **

**I am so behind the Klaroline ship that it hurts. They are my absolute favorite and then Elena/Elijah, Bonnie/Damon, and my new favorite one is Finn/Abby. I can do without Sage. **

**I wanted to write something after rewatching 3x11 and I realized, what if they had their lives together but something happened? And whwat if Klaus couldn't actually fix it? **

**Towards the end, I switched from calling Klaus 'klaus' and calling him 'Nik' instead from Caroline's point of view. There's some reasoning for that because it showed the term of endearment that Klaus only let Rebekah and Kol use. So why not Caroline? **

**Dollaps of Elejah and Abbinn here, as you already see. I know that the Elejah and Fabby scenes don't seem necessary to you but they do to me so there! (hee,hee)**

**Well, that's the end of my extremely long after shot. I'm finally shutting up. I hope you enjoyed immensely and I do sincerely hope that you will grace me with some beautiful reviews. **

**Thanks to PrettyPinkLips for inspiring me to write this! **


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